Paul Cuffee Upper School

Q: Is Paul Cuffee Upper School a good school?

Paul Cuffee Upper School ranks 43 rd of 61 Rhode Island high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Paul Cuffee Upper School is a public charter high school in Providence, Rhode Island, serving 271 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Paul Cuffee Charter School district, which is ranked 52 out of 60 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Paul Cuffee Upper School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 30.3% of 11th graders were proficient or better in SAT/English Language Arts, and just 6.1% were proficient or better in SAT/Mathematics, both significantly lower than the state averages. However, the school's English Language Learner (ELL) students perform exceptionally well, ranking 2nd out of 10 high schools in the state. Conversely, female and Hispanic students at the school perform significantly worse than their peers statewide.

The school's location in Providence's urban landscape presents unique challenges, as nearby schools like Classical High School rank among the top in the state, while others, such as 360 High School and Central High School, are among the lowest-performing. Despite these disparities, the data suggests that Paul Cuffee Upper School's strong support for its ELL population is a bright spot, and the school's higher per-student spending and smaller class sizes may be contributing factors to its unique performance profile.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

544 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907

(401) 781-2727

District: Paul Cuffee Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
43^rd of 61 Rhode Island High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,866

Student/teacher ratio: 10.4

Number of students: 271

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

72.3%

African American:

19.9%

Asian:

3.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 80.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Paul Cuffee Upper School ranks worse than 70.5% of high schools in Rhode Island. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.61. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (72.3%), African American (19.9%), Asian (3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 80.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paul Cuffee Upper School is 10.4. (See more...)

Compare Paul Cuffee Upper School employs 26 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paul Cuffee Upper School is $15,866.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Paul Cuffee Upper School:

SchoolDigger ranks Paul Cuffee Upper School 43^rd of 61 Rhode Island public high schools. (See Paul Cuffee Upper School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Paul Cuffee Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Paul Cuffee Charter School 52^nd of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Paul Cuffee Upper School

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Rank History for all students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2019	30.25	37^th	59	37.3%
2021	12.75	47^th	59	20.3%
2022	14.28	45^th	59	23.7%
2023	14.33	46^th	60	23.3%
2024	19.61	43^rd	61	29.5%

See the entire list of Rhode Island High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	84.88	2^nd	10	80.0%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	21.54	41^st	54	24.1%
2023	27.65	38^th	58	34.5%
2024	27.90	39^th	58	32.8%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	16.32	43^rd	58	25.9%
2023	13.24	46^th	59	22.0%
2024	16.66	44^th	56	21.4%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	14.32	42^nd	54	22.2%
2023	18.63	42^nd	56	25.0%
2024	25.18	37^th	57	35.1%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	32.06	16^th	28	42.9%
2023	41.34	14^th	26	46.2%
2024	46.04	13^th	28	53.6%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	23.59	38^th	49	22.4%
2023	30.43	29^th	53	45.3%
2024	28.58	35^th	54	35.2%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Rhode Island Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Paul Cuffee Upper School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2019	6	50	5	189	2	5	257
2020	9	41	8	197	2	7	264
2021	7	45	7	198	1	10	268
2022	5	54	9	186	1	10	265
2023	6	54	8	196	1	6	271

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Paul Cuffee Upper School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	257	24.0	10.7	82.5
2020	264	23.0	11.4	81.4
2021	268	24.0	11.1	81.3
2022	265	27.0	9.8	73.2
2023	271	26.0	10.4	80.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Paul Cuffee Upper School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	257	24.0	10.7	82.5
2020	264	23.0	11.4	81.4
2021	268	24.0	11.1	81.3
2022	265	27.0	9.8	73.2
2023	271	26.0	10.4	80.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Paul Cuffee Upper School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2021	$1,030 (6.5%)	$14,836 (93.5%)	$15,866

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paul Cuffee Upper School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 37^th of 59 High schools	Ranks 46^th of 60 High schools	14%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Cuffee Upper School)	46.9	37.3	9.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Cuffee Charter School)	46.9	37.3	9.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	60.1	55.3	4.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Paul Cuffee Upper School)	7.8	6	1.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Paul Cuffee Charter School)	7.8	6	1.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	31	27.2	3.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Cuffee Upper School)	42.9	25.4	17.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Cuffee Charter School)	42.9	25.4	17.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	50.5	49.1	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Paul Cuffee Upper School)	19	7.5	11.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (Paul Cuffee Charter School)	19	7.5	11.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	31.2	25.3	5.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	257	271	5.4%
African American	50	54	8%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	5	8	60%
Hispanic	189	196	3.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	6	6
Two or More Races	5	6	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	82.5%	80.4%	2%

Schools Near Paul Cuffee Upper School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT10 English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	SAT English Language Arts (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	NGSA Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT10 English Language Arts 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	NGSA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paul Cuffee Upper School	Public, Charter	9-12	544 Elmwood Avenue	Providence	02907	Providence County	Paul Cuffee Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 781-2727	271	26	10.4	80.4%	6 (2.2%)	54 (19.9%)	196 (72.3%)	8 (3.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	19.6	43^rd of 61 public high schools	29.5%		14.3	46^th of 60 public high schools	23.3%	3	49.2	6.8	30.3	6.1	9.2	$15,866	$1,030	$14,836
Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School	Public	9-12	375 Adelaide Avenue	Providence	02907	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-0676	562	43	13.0	81.3%	20 (3.6%)	70 (12.5%)	430 (76.5%)	17 (3.0%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.7%)	6.8	59^th of 61 public high schools	3.3%		6.4	58^th of 60 public high schools	3.3%	1	18.7		13.1			$13,804	$827	$12,977
Metropolitan Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	325 Public Street	Providence	02905	Providence County	MET Career and Technical	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 752-2600	776	60	12.9	72.7%	158 (20.4%)	149 (19.2%)	437 (56.3%)	22 (2.8%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	23.4	39^th of 61 public high schools	36.1%		24.5	38^th of 60 public high schools	36.7%	1	48.8	7.9	36.7	5.6	16.1	$17,104	$1,253	$15,851
W B Cooley & Academy Internationa	Public	9-12	182 Thurbers Avenue	Providence	02905	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-1781	322	28	11.5	83.9%	18 (5.6%)	35 (10.9%)	244 (75.8%)	10 (3.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	12.9	49^th of 61 public high schools	19.7%		10	50^th of 60 public high schools	16.7%	1	20.5	5.1	28.3	8.9		$23,629	$1,139	$22,490
360 High School	Public	9-12	182 Thurbers Avenue	Providence	02905	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 274-4603	335	27	12.6	81.8%	14 (4.2%)	46 (13.7%)	253 (75.5%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.3%)	6.9	57^th of 61 public high schools	6.6%		5	60^th of 60 public high schools	0.0%	3	19.4		12.2			$14,328	$738	$13,591
Newcomer Academy	Public	9-12	91 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(401) 455-3406	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Providence Career Technical	Public	9-12	41 Fricker street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9136	646	71	9.1	86.2%	31 (4.8%)	71 (11.0%)	500 (77.4%)	20 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.1%)	17	45^th of 61 public high schools	26.2%		15.7	45^th of 60 public high schools	25.0%		35.9	6.7	24.2	11.5	15.0	$21,581	$1,793	$19,788
Central High School	Public	9-12	70 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9111	1,302	79	16.4	86.9%	39 (3.0%)	152 (11.7%)	999 (76.7%)	59 (4.5%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (2.3%)	6.8	58^th of 61 public high schools	4.9%		5.1	59^th of 60 public high schools	1.7%	1	17.7		13.2			$15,074	$866	$14,207
Cranston High School East	Public	9-12	899 Park Avenue	Cranston	02910	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 270-8126	1,499	120	12.4	59.0%	353 (23.5%)	129 (8.6%)	738 (49.2%)	172 (11.5%)	18 (1.2%)	6 (0.4%)	79 (5.3%)	25.3	38^th of 61 public high schools	37.7%		28.3	37^th of 60 public high schools	38.3%	1	49.7	10.8	35.7	10.5	15.5	$14,820	$264	$14,556
Classical High School	Public	9-12	770 Westminster Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9145	1,113	64	17.3	58.3%	221 (19.9%)	193 (17.3%)	533 (47.9%)	100 (9.0%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (4.7%)	95.9	3^rd of 61 public high schools	95.1%		93.3	3^rd of 60 public high schools	95.0%			73.2	88.8	60.1	52.9	$12,489	$511	$11,978

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul Cuffee Upper School

What district is Paul Cuffee Upper School in?

Paul Cuffee Charter School

Is Paul Cuffee Upper School a good school?

Paul Cuffee Upper School ranks 43^rd of 61 Rhode Island high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Paul Cuffee Upper School?

Students at Paul Cuffee Upper School are 72% Hispanic, 20% African American, 3% Asian, 2% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Paul Cuffee Upper School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 271 students attended Paul Cuffee Upper School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Rhode Island Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.